I am always amazed by the clients who begin the rewarding, difficult work of counseling and therapy. It is the beginning of saying something has to change, of saying, "I want something to be different."

I am so grateful to be a part of the journey with clients who have this kind of courage. It means facing things about themselves that they don't like, things they are afraid of, and things that are hard or embarrassing to admit. What is really incredible, it is exactly those things that lead to the most real, lasting, and genuine change: confronting the very hard, uncomfortable parts of ourselves, with someone who accepts us for who we are, not who we could be.

Isn't that amazing? If I am able to provide a safe place, to really accept my clients for who they are right now, then they are often able to climb those mountains that seemed insurmountable. Often one of those mountains is the desire to please. The key to success is different for everyone, but one thing is for sure trying to please everyone will certainly lead to failure.